In the seventh game episode of Unfamiliar Heroes the paranormal detectives of the Cat’s Paw Ghost Control agency investigate some disturbing, supernatural growls that have been plaguing a small Seattle neighborhood. Maybe it is a were-raccoon, or perhaps it is a were-cow. Listen to find out!

Tabitha the space alien cat, Jake the fake TV psychic, and Lalla the plant talker botanist are the paranormal detectives of Cat’s Paw Ghost Control. Join them as they solve supernatural problems with cat-themed technology, a shady network of contacts, and plant power in a tabletop game that uses the InSpectres role-playing system!

Another super silly episode from this amazing group complete with music and sound effects!

This illustration depicts three characters, each from a different genre of story, and each with a disability. On the left is a black gnome archer riding in a chariot pulled by a large brown dog. The chariot has a chair in it so that they can sit instead of stand. In the middle is a Latina woman manipulating a tech device on her wrist as she begins to go invisible. She is wearing an air filtering mask of the type that people with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity sometimes wear. On the right is a white muscular superhero wearing a very gay, blue superhero outfit. He has lightning crackling between his two hands, which are shaped atypically. This beautiful work of art was created the amazing Rose Adare!

Unfamiliar Heroes is a podcast series in which people with disabilities, chronic illnesses, or diverse minds together create stories about characters with disabilities, chronic illnesses, or diverse minds using tabletop role-playing games. In its core values, this project centers the experiences of people living at the intersections of oppression. Unfamiliar Heroes is part of the Writing Alchemy Podcast.

Tabitha the space alien cat, Jake the fake TV psychic, and Lalla the plant talker botanist are the paranormal detectives of Cat’s Paw Ghost Control. Join them as they solve supernatural problems with cat-themed technology, a shady network of contacts, and plant power in a tabletop game that uses the InSpectres role-playing system!

I’m super excited to have finally finished this episode for you. There is a lot of laughter and silliness in this episode, which includes character creation and a complete, stand alone adventure.

This illustration depicts three characters, each from a different genre of story, and each with a disability. On the left is a black gnome archer riding in a chariot pulled by a large brown dog. The chariot has a chair in it so that they can sit instead of stand. In the middle is a Latina woman manipulating a tech device on her wrist as she begins to go invisible. She is wearing an air filtering mask of the type that people with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity sometimes wear. On the right is a white muscular superhero wearing a very gay, blue superhero outfit. He has lightning crackling between his two hands, which are shaped atypically. This beautiful work of art was created the amazing Rose Adare!

Unfamiliar Heroes is a podcast series in which people with disabilities, chronic illnesses, or diverse minds together create stories about characters with disabilities, chronic illnesses, or diverse minds using tabletop role-playing games. In its core values, this project centers the experiences of people living at the intersections of oppression. Unfamiliar Heroes is part of the Writing Alchemy Podcast.

Super Power Baby Shower is a project I’ve been quietly been doing in the background for a while, and now they are printed delivered! Super Power Baby Shower is children’s book I co-wrote with Tobi Hill-Meyer. It is about a three parent family of superheroes inside a diverse and loving community. Janine Carrington brought our story to vivid life with her dynamic illustrations.

Roark flies, Nova can make fire, and Victoria can talk with her mind. Now, they’re also having a baby! At the baby shower, an urgent call comes in to Granny Awesome for help at the wolf sanctuary. The guests fly off to give their assistance and return to a wonderful surprise.

Photograph of a stack of Super Power Baby Shower books fanned out on a sunset colored carpet. The title is in bold yellow letters, with “Written by Tobi Hill-Meyer and Fay Onyx, Illustrated by Janine Carrington” in smaller white letters at the bottom. Below and on both sides of the title are a dynamic collection of fourteen characters who are all doing different things (most of them are smiling). The group is centered around a young child who is looking at the viewer. The is great deal of diversity present (include disability, diverse races, cultures, gender, sexual orientations, and ages).

Here are the details:

Super Power Baby Shower is part of a six book bundle published by Flamingo Rampant. This bundle is a collection of racially diverse books featuring LGBT2Q kids and families with celebratory, joyful story lines. There really aren’t enough of these kinds of books in the world and I am overjoyed to part of this project. Right now their website is being redesigned, but you can purchase the books here. Continue Reading »

This second anniversary special episode includes behind the scenes updates, outtakes, and six very silly bad poems that were composed for a Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy Vogon poetry competition in which the goal was to make poems that were as terrible (and funny) as possible.

I thought I’d do something special for the second anniversary of the podcast. I hope you all enjoy this bit of pure silliness and humor (plus the behind the scenes discussions of the projects I’m working on).

This is a very silly bad poem that I composed for a Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy Vogon poetry competition. For those who don’t know, in the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy the poetry of the Vogon people is ‘the third worst in the galaxy.’ The goal of this competition was to create and perform hilariously bad poetry.

Clip art of a white quill outlined in black that is on top of a purple splatter of ink. Behind them is a black rectangle with rounded corners (a frame) that both the quill and ink splatter are slightly sticking out of.

Stone Version 2

(This poem is designed to be read by two people. The bold text is read by a person doing a melodramatic delivery. The regular text is read by a person doing a calmer, explanatory delivery.)

Stone!

I look at the stone

It is round!

Round

Adjective: shaped like or approximately like a circle.

Noun: a circular piece of a particular substance.

Verb: pass and go around (something) so as to move on in a changed direction: “the ship rounded the cape and sailed north”

This is a very silly bad poem that I composed for a Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy Vogon poetry competition. For those who don’t know, in the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy the poetry of the Vogon people is ‘the third worst in the galaxy.’ The goal of this competition was to create and perform hilariously bad poetry.

Clip art of a white quill outlined in black that is on top of a purple splatter of ink. Behind them is a black rectangle with rounded corners (a frame) that both the quill and ink splatter are slightly sticking out of.

Beach stone

(In the performance of this poem I use different pronunciation and emphasis with each repetition.)

This is a very silly bad poem that Tobi Hill-Meyer composed for a Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy Vogon poetry competition. For those who don’t know, in the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy the poetry of the Vogon people is ‘the third worst in the galaxy.’ The goal of this competition was to create and perform hilariously bad poetry.

Clip art of a white quill outlined in black that is on top of a purple splatter of ink. Behind them is a black rectangle with rounded corners (a frame) that both the quill and ink splatter are slightly sticking out of.

How do I love thee, Part Two

(An important part of the humor of this poem is the terrible delivery Tobi did. Note that this poem touches on a bit of sexism and ableism.)

This is a very silly bad poem that I composed for a Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy Vogon poetry competition. For those who don’t know, in the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy the poetry of the Vogon people is ‘the third worst in the galaxy.’ The goal of this competition was to create and perform hilariously bad poetry.

Clip art of a white quill outlined in black that is on top of a purple splatter of ink. Behind them is a black rectangle with rounded corners (a frame) that both the quill and ink splatter are slightly sticking out of.

This is a very silly bad poem that Tobi Hill-Meyer composed for a Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy Vogon poetry competition. For those who don’t know, in the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy the poetry of the Vogon people is ‘the third worst in the galaxy.’ The goal of this competition was to create and perform hilariously bad poetry.

Clip art of a white quill outlined in black that is on top of a purple splatter of ink. Behind them is a black rectangle with rounded corners (a frame) that both the quill and ink splatter are slightly sticking out of.

How do I love thee?

(The dashes inside some of the words are used to indicate the pronunciations used to force those words that wouldn’t otherwise rhyme to partially rhyme.)

This is a very silly bad poem that I composed for a Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy Vogon poetry competition. For those who don’t know, in the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy the poetry of the Vogon people is ‘the third worst in the galaxy.’ The goal of this competition was to create and perform hilariously bad poetry.

Clip art of a white quill outlined in black that is on top of a purple splatter of ink. Behind them is a black rectangle with rounded corners (a frame) that both the quill and ink splatter are slightly sticking out of.